Every year, capital intermediaries and project sponsors submit thousands of project finance mandates to firms like Global Resources Hub. The majority are declined — not because the underlying project lacks merit, but because the submission fails to meet the basic threshold of a reviewable mandate.

This is not a documentation problem. It is a structure problem.

If you are a project sponsor, developer, or principal seeking capital for an infrastructure, energy, real estate, or cross-border project, understanding what a reviewable mandate looks like is the difference between getting a response and getting silence.

What Is a Project Finance Mandate?

A project finance mandate is a formal submission from a principal — the person or entity with documented authority over the project — requesting capital, debt, equity, or structured financing for a specific development or transaction.

It is not a pitch deck. It is not a letter of intent. It is a structured document that demonstrates:

• The principal's authority over the project
• The project's capital requirement and use of funds
• The project's viability, timeline, and exit or repayment structure
• The principal's ability to meet due diligence requirements

A mandate that cannot answer these four questions clearly will not be reviewed. Capital partners do not have the bandwidth to reconstruct a submission from incomplete information.

The Most Common Reasons Mandates Are Declined

Before covering what a strong mandate looks like, it is worth understanding why most are declined at the first screen.

The submitter is not the principal. This is the single most common reason for immediate rejection. Brokers, intermediaries, and representatives who submit on behalf of a principal — without documented authority to do so — are not reviewable. Capital partners require direct principal engagement. If you are not the decision-maker with documented ownership or authority, your submission will not proceed.

The capital requirement is not clearly stated. Vague language like "seeking significant capital" or "open to various structures" signals that the mandate has not been properly prepared. A reviewable mandate states a specific capital requirement, a preferred structure (debt, equity, mezzanine, or a combination), and a clear use of funds.

There is no documentation of principal status. Claiming to be the principal is not sufficient. A reviewable mandate includes documentation — corporate registration, ownership certificates, land titles, concession agreements, or equivalent instruments — that verifies the submitter's authority over the project.

The project timeline is unrealistic or undefined. Capital partners evaluate mandates against deployment timelines. A project with no defined start date, no permitting status, and no construction or development schedule is not financeable in the near term. If your project is pre-feasibility, say so — but understand that pre-feasibility mandates require a different submission pathway.

The exit or repayment structure is absent. Project finance is not a grant. Capital partners need to understand how and when they will be repaid or how they will exit their position. A mandate that does not address this is incomplete.

What a Reviewable Mandate Includes

A mandate that passes the first screen at Global Resources Hub — and at most institutional capital partners — will include the following components.

Executive Project Summary

A concise, one-to-three-page summary of the project that covers:

• Project type (infrastructure, real estate, energy, cross-border acquisition, etc.)
• Location and jurisdiction
• Project stage (pre-feasibility, feasibility complete, permitted, under construction)
• Total project cost and capital requirement
• Proposed capital structure
• Projected timeline from funding to completion or exit

This is not a marketing document. It should be factual, specific, and free of promotional language.

Principal Verification

Documentation that establishes the submitter's authority over the project. Depending on the project type, this may include:

• Corporate registration and ownership structure
• Land title, lease agreement, or concession documentation
• Board resolution authorizing the mandate submission
• Proof of existing equity contribution or co-investment

If you are a government-backed project sponsor, include the relevant ministerial or agency authorization. If you are a private developer, include the ownership chain from the project entity to the ultimate beneficial owner.

Financial Documentation

At minimum, a reviewable mandate includes:

• Audited financial statements for the project entity (or the principal entity, if the project entity is newly formed)
• A project financial model or feasibility study, even at a preliminary stage
• Evidence of any existing financing, equity, or co-investment already in place

Capital partners will conduct their own financial analysis. The purpose of your financial documentation is to demonstrate that the project has been modeled and that the principal understands the numbers.

Use of Funds

A clear breakdown of how the requested capital will be deployed. This should be specific enough to allow a capital partner to evaluate whether the deployment timeline is realistic and whether the capital structure is appropriate for the project type.

Avoid lump-sum descriptions. Break the use of funds into categories: land acquisition, construction, equipment, working capital, contingency, and so on.

Exit or Repayment Structure

How will the capital partner be repaid or exit their position? Common structures include:

• Debt repayment from project revenues (project finance)
• Equity exit through asset sale or refinancing
• Mezzanine repayment from a senior debt facility
• Revenue-sharing arrangements for long-term infrastructure concessions

If the exit structure is not yet defined, say so — but provide the range of structures you are prepared to consider and the timeline within which you expect to define the final structure.

The Principal Standard

Global Resources Hub applies a strict principal standard to every mandate submission. This means:

You must be the decision-maker. Not a consultant, not a broker, not a representative. The person submitting the mandate must have the authority to sign term sheets, engage legal counsel, and make binding commitments on behalf of the project entity.

You must be prepared for due diligence. A mandate submission is the beginning of a process, not the end. If your mandate is accepted for review, you will be required to provide additional documentation, participate in calls with our capital partners, and respond to due diligence requests within defined timeframes.

You must be realistic about your project stage. Capital partners fund projects that are ready to be funded. If your project is in early development, the appropriate submission is a preliminary mandate that establishes your principal status and outlines the project's development roadmap — not a full capital request for a project that is two years from being financeable.

Sector-Specific Considerations

Different project types carry different documentation requirements and review standards.

Infrastructure and civil works mandates require evidence of government approvals, environmental clearances, and — where applicable — concession agreements or public-private partnership frameworks. Projects without regulatory clarity are not reviewable at the capital stage.

Energy and utilities mandates require power purchase agreements, grid connection approvals, or equivalent offtake documentation. A renewable energy project without a signed or draft PPA is a development-stage project, not a capital-stage project.

Real estate and mixed-use development mandates require land title or long-term lease documentation, zoning approvals, and a development program. Projects in jurisdictions with complex land tenure systems require additional documentation to establish clear title.

Cross-border acquisitions require corporate documentation for both the acquiring entity and the target, a clear transaction structure, and evidence that the acquisition is at an advanced stage of negotiation.

How to Submit Your Mandate

If your mandate meets the requirements outlined above, Global Resources Hub is currently accepting submissions through our capital request form. Our review team evaluates every qualified submission and responds within five to seven business days.

Submissions that do not meet the principal standard or that lack the required documentation will not receive a detailed response. We do not provide feedback on declined submissions.

If you are unsure whether your mandate is ready for submission, review the requirements above and ensure that every component is in place before submitting. An incomplete submission is not better than no submission — it consumes review capacity and delays the process for qualified principals.

Submit your mandate for review during our current intake window.